Environmental Education Coordinator

Summary of Duties: This position develops, promotes, and implements environmental education programs for the residents, schools, community organizations and Village Associations of The Woodlands Township. This position is the primary resource for developing and strengthening resident engagement, including reaching out to schools, scouts, corporate groups and other community volunteers. This position is also a resource for the Environmental Services Department including solid waste and recycling, resource conservation, mosquito control, sustainable landscaping and gardening practices, local flora and fauna, and other department topics. The position is responsible for the planning and development of special events and outreach programs, including not limited to: Sunset Cinemas, Pumpkin Smash, Community Garden Day, School Field Studies, and Adopt-a-Path. This position plays a lead role in coordinating, creating, and disseminating Department communications, including social media content, in collaboration with the Township Communications Department. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Develop and administer environmental educational outreach programs for residents of The Woodlands Township. Provide support for these programs in commercial, school-based, faith-based, and recreational settings.  

• Create and deliver outdoor experiential education activities for a wide range of audience types. Develop and coordinate School Field Studies Programming. Staff educational booths at outreach events on a range of department topics. Develop and deliver presentations in person and online on a variety of Department topics. 

• Direct, promote, and grow community volunteering initiatives including collaborating with residents, schools, businesses, service groups and places of worship to participate in storm drain marking, Adopt-a-Path, Invasives Task Force, Zero Waste events, and community science projects, among others. 

• Develop and implement special events and programs including, but not limited to, Sunset Cinemas, Pumpkin Smash, and Community Garden Day. 

• Assist in coordination and outreach for Dept special events such as 3R Recycling Drive Thru, Arbor Day, Community Tree Planting, Great Texas Birding Classic, Bioblitz, and Woodlands Landscaping Solutions. Participate in Zero Waste logistics for Community Races. 

• Liaison for the Depart in developing social media posts, in collaboration with colleagues in Environmental Services and the Communications Department, for all Dept events, classes, and outreach campaigns. Help with storyboarding for video content creation and capture “b roll” at events and programs as necessary.  

• Bring forward effective, innovative messaging strategies. Design and disseminate outreach materials - magazine articles, blogs, press releases, social media posts, mailers, web pages, advertisements, and more – on a wide range of environmental- and sustainability-related topics. 

• Support ongoing reporting and data analysis of participant surveys, social media metrics, eNewsletters, and communication efforts to evaluate effectiveness in reaching new audiences. 

• Assist with ongoing reporting and recertification requirements to maintain the Department designations, such as Keep Texas Beautiful Gold Affiliate Status and Monarch Champion City Leadership Circle. Apply for awards and other designations as appropriate. 

• Provide excellent customer service in support of The Township’s waste management contract as well as range of local sustainability- and conservation-related topics. 

• Recruit, train, coordinate and cultivatge volunteers, including individuals, youth groups and community organizations to broaden educational outreach and community involvement projects. 

• Network with governmental and environmental organizations at the local, regional, and national level. 

• Research grant and outside funding sources to enhance programming. Write grant and award applications. 

• Solicit bids and negotiate agreements with vendors. 

• Assist Environmental Services Manager in budget development and monthly and quarterly reports and grants.  

• Meet and maintain the requirements of the driver safety policy. 

• Employee is required to work certain special events on nights, weekends, or holidays. 

• Performs other duties as assigned. 

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, and interpret. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. 

Work Conditions: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this job, occasionally exposed to outdoor weather elements for multiple hours at a time under medium physical exertion.  While working events, employee may be required to stand for long periods of time. 

Satisfactory: Occasional exposure to unpleasant environmental conditions and/or hazards. Often work outside under moderate physical effort. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. 

Minimum Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge of: Educational and informative presentation techniques for a variety of audiences. Broad range of environmental topics and issues including conservation practices, native plants, local wildlife, and sustainable landscaping practices. Understanding of effective messaging strategies and techniques.

Ability to: Develop impactful, innovative educational programs.

Education: Bachelor's Degree from four-year college or university in Environmental Education, Communications, or related degree.

Experience: Three (3) years of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Must possess a Texas driver’s license within the first ninety (90) days of employment and meet the driver safety policy requirements.
• Texas Master Gardener, Texas Master Naturalist and/or Urban Harvest certification is a plus.
• Project Wild, Project Wet, Project Learning Tree and/or Beat the Baron Waste is a plus.

Computer Skills: Proficient in MS Office; additional expertise in ArcGIS, GovDelivery, Microsoft Forms, Canva, and Adobe preferred.

The Woodlands Township is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at all levels of its workforce.